


Divergence

by Elysionia



Series: Genesis [6]
Category: House of Cards (US TV)
Genre: College, F/M, Romance, Trouble In Paradise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-11-23 14:31:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18153092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elysionia/pseuds/Elysionia
Summary: Whatever it is that you wait from me. I am not.And the things you want from me. I don’t think you can have.





	1. Chapter 1

 

_ finally  _

_ I stopped _

_ fell in love _

_ you were the same _

_ as me _

_ but my pieces _

_ broke up _

 

_ afraid of losing _

_ my wings _

_ stuck here on the floor _

_ besides you _

_ nothing else _

_ than the flames _

_ now separating  _

_ us _

 

_ seeing your  _

_ turned back  _

_ it came to  _

_ me _

_ this is not  _

_ how it’s supposed to be _

  
  


.:.:. 

 

Again he talks too much. It’s too early to listen to his monologue. Slowly his words turn into music in her ears. She sits there quiet, lips set tight. Nursing a cup of black coffee in her hands. Warming her icy fingers up. Listening to the melody of his voice. She always listens to him carefully. Shame she has such an awful memory for the words he says. 

 

‘’I’m going back to Texas for a while. Before the summer break ends.‘’ She interrupts his speech about the upcoming midterms. About his plan for state senate. She misses Red, her favorite horse. Beautiful old mare with auburn fur. Gentle and understanding. She misses riding through the fields. Spreading her arms against the wind. Feeling like they are flying above the grass.

 

‘’You’re ready to see your mother? I thought that the two of you didn’t have the warmest relationship.’’ Frank asks her. Curious about her sudden urge to leave to Dallas. She rarely talks about her family with him.

 

‘’I’m going for Daddy. Mother can say whatever she wants. I’m already a disappointment for her. I’m not changing my major from environmental health and chemistry to medicine. She’s been nagging about it ever since I got accepted. Daring on disowning me.’’ She sips down the rest of her cooled down coffee. Raising up from the table.

 

‘’I bet she’s a force to be reckoned with if you take anything after her.’’ Frank chuckles imagining a 20 years older Claire. He bets she’s a spitting image of her mother. Noticing Claire’s grim face he changes the topic. ‘’Let’s not talk about her anymore, shall we. When will you be back?’’ 

 

Collecting their empty cups Claire puts them in the sink. ‘’Depends. I’ll be back before the lectures start. I still have to study.’’ Water sloshing over the cups. She washes the cups mechanically. Water trickles down her elbows when she lifts them inside the cupboard. Turning to Francis: ‘’Tonight there’s a party at Annette’s. Do you want to come? The Shepherds might know some useful people.’’ 

 

Frank raises his eyebrows considering for a moment: ‘’Why not. I have that important business dinner at 8 pm but I could pop by after that. I’ll see you at the party then?’’

 

Claire hums at him turning to dry her hands. 

 

.:.:.

 

Business dinner turned out to be food and some drinks afterwards. Hours stretching on before he excuses himself from the bar they’d stuck to with the gentlemen. Clock strikes closer to midnight when he finally makes it to Annette’s penthouse. He has undone his tie, stuffed it into his navy jacket to look more relaxed. The Shepherds own a huge apartment near the center, renting it forwards. And apparently the rich kids get to do anything they want with their parents estates. 

 

The party is packed full of people. Loud music thumping in his ears as fast as his heart hammers in his chest. Smoke lingers in the air and drinks are flowing. Couples getting touchy in the dark. Everyone seems to be having a good time. Tall brunette winks at him passing him in the foyer. Despite the heightened atmosphere he doesn’t miss this period of his life at all. 

 

Squinting through the sea of smoke he looks for her. It’s too crowded to spot Claire’s blonde head. Usually they come to these events together and then split up. Scouting the room for influential people attending. Circling around the prey. Ready to strike at any moment. Only one gaze to her eyes between the masses of people is enough. They don’t need to speak to each other to get the message across the room. 

 

He finds absolutely hammered Annette from the kitchen. Giggling with her girlfriends Annette is surprised to see him. 

‘’Frank! Didn’t know you were coming! How are you? Oh you look so handsome in navy! Doesn’t he? Have you met Kathryn and Jenny? They’re studying business.’’ Annette keeps on blabbering. Her beer almost sloshing over the glass. Frank greets the ladies flashing them a charming smile. He’s only after a one thing. 

 

‘’Have you lovely ladies happened to see Claire?’’ 

 

He finds her from the corner of the office, snogging with some guy. He leans his shoulder against the doorway watching them quietly. The guy is tall and light haired. Dressed in a white t-shirt. They break off from the kiss when the boy notices him. The menacing shadow standing in the doorway, creeping up the floor licking at her heels. ‘’Uh do you mind?’’ The boy asks him, confused about the sudden intruder.

 

How rude. 

 

‘’Oh no don’t mind me. Do carry on. I just came here to check on Claire.’’ Frank answers with calm and steady voice, nodding towards Claire hidden in the shadows. Masking the unpleasant feelings toward the man. Ready to punch a knife through him, if Claire’d want that. She flinches at the sound of his deep voice. Dropping her hands next to her body. ‘’We’re fine here, right baby.’’ The boy brushes her hair back revealing her face, kissing her.

 

‘’I’ll leave you to it then. Have a good night.’’ Frank tips his chin, turns his back on them and walks away to the maze of people. Waving to Annette he shuts the heavy front door behind him. Muffling the music. The neighbours must hate them. Before he has crossed the yard he can hear heels stomping after him against the stone. Sharp, fast clicks.

 

‘’Francis!’’

 

.:.:.

 

Her head is humming from all the wine she drank. Maybe the last glass was a bit too much. Frank’s hand is at her lower back steadying her faltering steps. Gently guiding them towards Claire’s apartment. 

 

‘’I miss seeing the stars. In summer I used to run away to our backyard, lay down on the grass and admire the constellations. Mother would always tell Daddy to come and get me back inside.’’ Claire looks at the sky sighing. City lights ruining her fantasy. ‘’If you want me to, I can tell you about the lights that have escaped us, far away to the cold sky.’’ 

She aspires to be like them. Untouchable.

 

‘’We should go somewhere. Not now, I mean later. Somewhere further away from the city, where it’s quiet, more peaceful. I could take you there.’’ Frank suggests keeping Claire close to his side. Other couples walk past them down the street. Keeping their heads up they walk slowly forward. Turning to Claire’s building, they climb up to the 4th floor. She stops and leans her back against the door. Fresh air clearing the haze in her head. She raises her gaze up from the floor before speaking to him. 

 

‘’I think we should pull back a little. I need some time to think.’’ It’s scary. How he consumes her. Every night her heart beats one time too much. Frank has sensed her walls building up slowly. Brick by brick, hiding her true face and feelings from him. ‘’Claire whatever it is, you can talk to me. About anything. You know that. You don’t have to shut yourself down.‘’ 

 

Her heart feels like lead, pressing down on her chest, sinking towards her stomach. She gathers up her courage to look Frank into his deep eyes. Placing her hand on Frank’s heart she closes her fist continuing: ‘’Whatever it is that you wait from me. I am not. And the things you want from me. I don’t think you can have. ‘’ If she stays here any longer, she might truly fall for him. 

 

Biting her lip she lingers on the doorway. ‘’Claire, I expect nothing from you. Only your companionship and trust. You know that. We have to be honest with each other.’’ Somehow he understands her thoughts, her feelings. She’s afraid to let go of her wings. She need the time to notice that she needs him as much as he needs her. That her true place is standing there besides him. Together.

 

Claire clicks the lock open sliding halfway through, when Frank grasps her wrist gently. ‘’I think you should leave now. My train leaves early tomorrow.’’ She exclaims. Flashing him a glance of pure ice. Signaling for him to step away. 

 

‘’If you change your mind, you know where to find me.’’ Not scared of her ice he answers softly. Brushing his fingers through her soft palm before letting go. Staring to his burning eyes, she shuts the door.

 

.:.:.

 

On nights like these, she doesn’t want to fall asleep. Frank had left couple of hours ago leaving her alone to clear her head. Lying on her bed, she can still see him. His back turned to her. Begging silently with his eyes for her to speak. To vocalize the mess inside her head. The conflict between her head and heart. She’s pushed him into leaving. Even though she knew there was nothing waiting for him outside of their cell. 

 

The haze from the wine has finally left her brain. In couple of hours it’ll be August. She’ll fall asleep to the warmth of the dawn. Basking in the light.

 

At first she thought that Francis could save her from herself. But it seems like no one can. She should have just kept walking forward on the crossroad. She told him to forget her. But it seems like she doesn’t know how to erase him from her memories. She closes her eyes against the sunrise. Remembering only the dark eyes that have seen her soul.

 


	2. 6.5

 

 

_Vine on the wall_

_is licking the ceiling_

_climbing up_

_covering all the windows_

 

_so long_

_away_

_I’m unable to find_

_the switch_

_on the wall_

 

_the breeze inside me_

_is blowing harder_

_than ever before_

_I don’t want to_

_speak about it_

_with you_

_anymore_

 

_my thoughts far away_

_in Europe_

_on railways_

_beds of reeds_

_on graveyards in August_

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Everything doesn't always go smoothly even with Underwoods


End file.
